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Sue Denham: How will the government fare when Finnegan reigns supreme?

Who will succeed Ronan Keane as chief justice? You’d expect Sue Denham to know, and she does. But it will not be your diarist’s namesake, nor will it be John Murray, the former attorney general who has served on the European Court and was regarded as the favourite.

Rather, we hear their lordships are likely to be passed over in favour of a mere solicitor: Joseph Finnegan, High Court president. Sue hears that high level discussions are under way to facilitate Finnegan’s move from High to Supreme, with Susan Denham tipped to replace the no-nonsense boss known for his ability to cut the High Court waiting list to shreds.

Adrian Hardiman, the youngish senior counsel appointed to the Supreme Court four years ago, may also hanker after the top job, and his Progressive Democrat connections should help when the decision is made at cabinet. But the CJ post is a